Tears of Mother of Pearl
by Emothgurl
Summary: Emily, Shona and Aaron are firm friends. But when Emily realizes her feelings for Aaron, she tries to push Shona and Aaron together so that she won't break up their three-friend ring. Emily has yet to realize the secret of the Tears of Mother of Pearl...
1. Dilemas to face

Tears of Mother of Pearl

I: Dilemmas to Face

Shona and I have always been best friends.

Aaron and I have always been friends, too. But the circle included Shona, so I couldn't have him all to myself.

I could see that Aaron and Shona looked good together.

Shona was the average mermaid type: long, blonde, flowing hair; glittery jewel decals on her scales; graceful curves and manners; flowing swimming styles.

Aaron was handsome: jet black heir, long; thin (A bit like me, but sleek, not skinny); beautiful black-silver scaled tail; speedy swimming.

We'd go and hang out in Dad's workshop while he tinkered with shell bits. Then, when he left, we'd giggle and look through his drawers, often coming across some love note for Lucky Penny (Dad's cheesy nickname for Mum).

Lately, though, I'd left Shona and Aaron to look through Dad's creations together.

I knew that, if they ever got together, they'd produce a beautiful mermaid: long, flowing jet-black hair, and bright neon jewels on her beautiful shiny black tail.

See, I figured, sooner or later, if Shona and Aaron didn't get together and fall in you-know-what, I'd definitely want Aaron, which would be unfair for Shona. We were a three-friend circle. If any one of us would be left out, all the peace on Allpoints Island would sooner or later disintegrate.

So, in a few words, I loved Aaron.

It's kinda weird being a semi-mer, same as

Aaron. We used to talk about that a lot, and how we both couldn't understand Mr. Beeston.

That was a long time ago. Months.

Sometimes I hate love and then regret thinking that, because really I just can't realize it. Like Mum and Dad, their love was pretty okay.

But my secret crush on Aaron was anything but. See, crushes only your best friend or the whole community knows about. Crushes, you only like the guy's swagger and look. But no, I really _did _love Aaron. I loved him because he usually took the time to listen to me, took the time to understand me.

Whenever I'd looked into those eyes of his, I'd seen myself reflected in them. But I've stopped looking into them. I don't feel great when I see how they see through me, how they feel my true essence. So quite frankly, I've become stranger to Aaron and Shona.

I never said I was happy about this.

Sometimes I've felt like I'm trapped in my own body. I'm a cage by myself. And to be honest, I consider that half true. It's like I'm so eager to ship-shape my ring of friends and make our relationships perfect.

I tell you; some times I've hated myself. Other times I say it's for the best and even better so I can stop being selfish, like I've been before.

Aaron, it's just that I don't want to hurt you. Or Shona. Please just make it easier and fall in love with her. I'll have a broken heart, but better that than a broken friendship.


	2. Millie's Chicken Soup for the Soul

Tears of Mother of Pearl

2: Millie's Chicken Soup for the Soul

I was feeling rotten when I woke up. Even half a gallon of Seal's Ice Jelly (Mer-ice cream), even if it was Choppy Seas (Rocky Road) didn't help at all. So I decided to skip breakfast and go over t Millie's. She was a little odd, but she was still a great friend.

I swam to Millie's little boat, moored on a sandy spot.

She'd fastened a plank of wood with a hole drilled in the middle and threaded through with long, thick rope. She'd had Aaron scramble up and tie it to one of the overhanging coconut branches.

Mille invited the kids to come and swing on it whenever she was out and practicing new hypnosis chants. They'd yell and scream and fall into the ocean when the rope swing swung out far and deep.

Aaron and I used to take turns dunking ourselves into the waves.

As for Shona and the other mermaids, Millie'd gone and fastened a limbo stick nearly ashore. They all had fun screaming, "How low can you go! How low can you go!" until the sounds echoed in my ears at night.

Lately though, I'd planned for Shona to be in the water just below Aaron when he swung out. Then I'd bitterly turn and hide my face when they laughed at each other.

Anyway, I reached Millie's boat, the _Silver Swing, _and propped myself up on my elbows to let my tail dry and reform into legs.

I looked at my plain black swimsuit and sighed miserably. Aaron would like Shona's pretty multi-colored tops way better than a bland old suit. All the better for him.

"Hey there, Sunny!" Millie breezily called as she strutted in front of me with a ridiculous purple seaweed boa draped all over her arms and neck.

She posed for an imaginary crowd, smiling and blowing kisses and singing, 'I love you, every one of you darlings!"

I giggled then, and Millie smiled and sat down beside me on a deck bench. "My new Treatment attire," she explained. "Like it?" even though it _was _silly, I nodded my approval. It was okay for Millie. Usually she wore crazier stuff.

As if reading my mind, she said, sighing, "I was out of inspiration today." I felt my stomach sink. There was something familiar about those words.

Millie looked deep into my eyes, then shook her head. I looked into my lap.

"Emily," was all Millie said.

That was when I cracked. I buried my face in Millie's shoulder and started sobbing and blubbering and telling her the whole story.

Millie was patting my back and cooing soothing words when I looked up and she said, "Emily, I know that you think protecting your friendship is very important to you, since back there, well, I know, but don't you realize that going overboard with this might just _ruin _your friendship? You should let time run its course, not make things go the way you want it to happen."

I started hiccupping. "Come on in," said Millie, gesturing to the cabin, "and I'll get you a cup of water." Gratefully I followed her in. Boy, being thirteen was sure weird. Even weirder was the notion that I've known Aaron for only one year but that sometimes it feels like forever and sometimes like I don't know _myself. _


	3. Gone with the Waves

Tears of Mother of Pearl

3: Gone with the Waves

I was sitting on the edge of a deserted dock, contemplating my emotions and staring dazed at the ripples that formed when I touched a toe to the surface of the water.

Since my whole leg wasn't submerged, my purple tail as nowhere in sight. Only the top of my big toe had a purplish tint. To someone from the 'normal' world, it would like I'd caught a strange species of gangrene.

Then, out of nowhere, a gang of rowdy teenage mer-people came and yelled at me to come and join them.

I shook my head, knowing that getting involved in a mer-fraternity or such wouldn't do any good for my image – or my family's – I'd already got into major trouble three times with Neptune – but it seemed the group was sorta drunk because then they grabbed my leg and pulled me under.

Usually my tail can form fast – but it was caught by surprise. Because of that, it sorta 'hanged', the way a computer does, and my underwater breathing pores went out of function.

The noisy bunch was so boisterous and loud that they didn't notice me croaking for help.

Then, everything went black.


	4. Green Eyes

Tears of Mother of Pearl

4: Green Eyes

I coughed, spewing salt water. A pair of very bright and frantic eyes locked into mine. Aaron's. How could those startling pupils be so close?

That was when I felt warm air rushing into my mouth.

His mouth was touching mine.

His hands were on my chest.

He was on top of me.

He was doing CPR.

With a choke I sat up. "I'm fine. Thanks." I said, pushing him away and scrambling up.

He tried to help me up. I ignored him.

I notice Shona and the bunch of older mer-teens, looking guilty. Millie. Mom and Dad were nowhere in sight. Phew. It wouldn't do any good to worry them sick. But all these people had watched Aaron give me you-know-what.

I turned away, embarrassed, and started walking in the direction of I assumed was home. I was glad when none of them followed.

When they were out of sight, I plopped down on some boulders half-submerged in water and heaved a sigh. I was glad that I hadn't drowned, but then again, sort of kissing Aaron felt bad. I felt guilty.

The tide was coming.

I was about to stand up and continue my walk home when a towel was draped over my shoulders.

I stiffened, looking down into my lap.

Aaron sat down beside me. There was no one else with him.

He took my hand. I tried easing it out of his grasp, but he held on tight. _Like the night we joined the rings._

"Emily," was all he said. I tried not to flinch.

He put a finger under my chin and gently lifted my face up to his. I was looking into those bright green emeralds.

The water was inching up.

"Emily," he said again. I blinked. "Have you ever considered putting yourself before others?" he said quietly. I was silent.

The waves were coming closer now.

"Emily," he repeated. "Are you the same person who scraped through eight inches of the Reef, who broke your Dad out of there, who woke the Kraken, who found both of the rings that saved our kind, who escaped Neptune's bad books each time?"

He turned my face so that I had a full-view of his serious eyes.

"Even if Millie hadn't told us, Shona and I knew about the emotions you were struggling through."

I shifted my gaze. I saw that the water was reaching our feet.

"You can't push people together to make things happen the way you want," he said. Then he added with a knowing look, "or don't want.'

I swallowed. The water was about up to my ankles.

"Emily," he said again, only this time, it was much, much softer than his serious tone.

He cupped my face in his soft hands. Every thing about him was soft now. His voice, his fingers, his eyes. His understanding eyes.

The tide was coming to our knees.

He continued. "You aren't that same girl, are you?" the tears were starting to well in my eyes.

The water was thigh-high now.

"You aren't the same brave, confident, adventurous, clever, Emily that I have always…" his voice trailed off.

A tear trailed down my cheek like a tiny streamer. I felt like I was crying my tears into the sea.

The water was at our waists.

"…That I have always loved." He said, his voice as soft as a whisper of the morning wind.

My eyes widened, I looked into his gaze.

He looked back.

The tide was up to my chest when he kissed me.

He was so near, I could feel his breath on my face.

We held so still, I could hear the gulls flapping overhead.

We didn't move.

We didn't go right left right like they do in the movies.

We didn't go guppy (French) either.

We just savored the moment. I mean, I did. Don't know about him. But I had a feeling…

We were just sitting there, soaking wet. With our eyes closed. And then I felt the towel drop off my shoulders like a ripe blossom, but I didn't try to reach out and grab it. How could I? I was as frozen solid as the Berlin wall in late December.

I felt Aaron. He felt good. So, so soft, and he tasted so, so sweet, that there aren't enough words to describe it. In fact, there are _no _words to fit that electrocuting feeling.

When I opened my eyes after an eternity, somehow my arms were around his neck and Aaron was clutching my back.

I looked right into those eyes of his again, and smiled for the first time in weeks; months. Wicked.

But then my eyes narrowed. "Millie told you _what_?!"

**FIN**

(Get it?)

PS: read the Epilogue. i have a bit more there for you..!


	5. Epilogue

Tears of Mother of Pearl

Epilogue

After Aaron had wiped my tears, I'd took a hold of his wrist and stared at them.

I smiled again.

They'd taught me something, those tears.

Something big.

Something important…Millie couldn't be trusted!

No, they'd taught me that crying _is _essential, that letting your true feelings out is significant. It's good for you.

Glinting in the late afternoon sun, the tears might just as well have been mother of pearl.

They looked so perfect, spread there, and so fine, that I could see the seabirds flying above and the blue, blue, sky reflected on their surface.

But then I took Aaron's hand, rubbing the tears out, and together we swam back up the beach towards where Millie and Shona were waiting.

Nearing Shona and Millie, we waved and flicked our tails up. Drops showered the sun beams like a display of glass beads.

My purple-green tail and Aaron's black sliced the air with a _whoosh! _as we joined Shona and Millie who, without words, knew she was in trouble. Big trouble.


End file.
